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• main line
  main line

  noun

  a principal line or route of a railroad, as contrasted with a branch or secondary one.
• Main Line
  Main Line

  noun

  a fashionable residential district west of Philadelphia.

main line

¹ American  

noun

1. a principal line or route of a railroad, as contrasted with a branch or secondary one.

2. a principal highway.

3. Slang.

   1. a prominent and readily accessible vein of the body that may be used for a narcotic's injection.

   2. the act of mainlining.

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Main Line ² American  

noun

1. a fashionable residential district west of Philadelphia.

2. any fashionable district where socially prominent people live.

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main line British  

noun

1. railways

   1. the trunk route between two points, usually fed by branch lines

   2. ( as modifier )

      a main-line station

2. a main road

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verb

1. slang (intr) to inject a drug into a vein

adjective

1. having an important position, esp having responsibility for the main areas of activity

Other Word Forms

• Main-Liner
  noun
• mainliner
  noun
• Main-Line
  adjective

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Etymology

Origin of main line

First recorded in 1835–45

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

main line Main Line

Now it is leaning harder into those other lines of work, though its wine business is still its main line of business by far.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 8, 2026

Rupireddy called Late Stage’s main line dozens of times, but he said no one answered.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 6, 2026

"The Severn Tunnel is the heartbeat of this main line, it's important in connecting communities on each side of the Severn so it's very important that it's operational and reliable."

From BBC ● May 22, 2026

Pike followed the main line — called the trunk line — which had hoses branching off in other directions.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 11, 2026

It was the main line from Venice to Trieste, with a high solid embankment, a solid roadbed and double track.

From "A Farewell To Arms" by Ernest Hemingway

Network Rail has warned that the Midland Main Line will remain closed to East Midlands Railway and Thameslink services until the end of the week.

From BBC ● Jun. 24, 2026

Lev, 49, started reaching out to other parents here, in Philadelphia’s wealthy Main Line suburbs, and he found hundreds of families who felt the same way.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 21, 2026

But East Midlands Railway said engineering work at various points on the Midland Main Line means there will be a reduced timetable and replacement bus services while the festival is on.

From BBC ● May 20, 2026

There is major disruption to all West Coast Main Line railway services between Euston station and Watford Junction due to a fire in north London.

From BBC ● Jan. 30, 2026

It’s on the prestigious Main Line, just twenty-five minutes outside Philadelphia, on a rolling campus surrounded by overgrown foliage.

From "The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates" by Wes Moore

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Related Words

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